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MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Max)
Get the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max used for four displays and up to 128GB of memory; the newer M5 Max adds Wi-Fi 7 and longer battery ratings.
Product images
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Max), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max used for four displays and up to 128GB of memory; the newer M5 Max adds Wi-Fi 7 and longer battery ratings. It has a 14-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB and 1TB as standard, and a 100Wh battery rated for 21 hours of video. Skip it if two displays and 24GB will do: the 16-inch M4 Pro is rated for 24 hours and started at $2,499.
Who it is for
- People who run four external displays. M4 Max drives three 6K screens over Thunderbolt plus a 4K over HDMI; the 16-inch M4 Pro stops at two.
- Anyone who needs lots of memory or storage: 36GB as standard, up to 128GB, and up to 8TB.
- Owners of a 16-inch M1, M2 or M3 Max who want Thunderbolt 5 and the 100Wh battery at a used or refurbished price.
Who should skip it
- Anyone buying new at full price. The 16-inch M5 Max, from $3,899, adds Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and is rated for 22 hours of video and 16 of web browsing.
- Buyers who don't need Max. The 16-inch M4 Pro has a 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB and 512GB, is rated for 24 hours of video and 17 of web, and started at $2,499.
- Anyone who wants an M4 Max in a smaller body. The 14-inch version has a 72.4Wh battery rated for 18 hours of video and 13 of web.
What sets it apart
- M4 Max: a 14-core CPU (10 performance, 4 efficiency) and 32-core GPU with 410GB/s of memory bandwidth; the 16-core CPU version gets a 40-core GPU and 546GB/s.
- Up to four external displays, against two on the 16-inch M4 Pro.
- 36GB of memory and 1TB of storage as standard, configurable to 128GB and 8TB.
- A 100Wh battery (rated 99.6Wh) and a 140W adapter in the box that fast-charges it.
Caveats
- Shorter battery ratings than the M4 Pro in the same body: 21 hours of video and 14 of web, against 24 and 17. Apple tested a 36GB, 2TB unit, not the 1TB base model.
- Apple gave no separate launch price for M4 Max. Its October 2024 announcement started the 16-inch at $2,499, which is the M4 Pro model.
- It's heavy: 4.7 lb (2.15 kg).
Key specs
In the same order on every laptop page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chip / processor | M4 Max: 14-core CPU (10 performance), 410GB/s; 16-core option: 40-core GPU, 546GB/s | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs410GB/s and 546GB/s are memory bandwidth; M4 Max has a 16-core Neural Engine, and the 14-core CPU has 4 efficiency cores. |
| Graphics | 32-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing; 40-core with the 16-core CPU | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Memory | 36GB unified memory standard; configurable to 48GB, 64GB or 128GB (16-core CPU) | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specsSoldered; the 16-inch M4 Pro starts at 24GB. |
| Storage | 1TB SSD standard; configurable to 2TB, 4TB or 8TB | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Display size | 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR, measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less, with rounded top corners | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Display type | Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED); nano-texture glass optional | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Resolution | 3456 × 2234 at 254 ppi | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Refresh rate | ProMotion up to 120Hz; fixed 47.95, 48, 50, 59.94 and 60Hz options | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Brightness | XDR: 1,000 nits sustained full-screen and 1,600 nits peak (HDR, below 25°C); SDR: up to 1,000 nits outdoors | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Color and HDR | 1,000,000:1 contrast; 1 billion colors; P3 wide color; True Tone | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Dimensions | 0.66 × 14.01 × 9.77 in (1.68 × 35.57 × 24.81 cm), height × width × depth | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Weight | 4.7 lb (2.15 kg) with M4 Max; 4.7 lb (2.14 kg) with M4 Pro | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Chassis | Aluminum, with fans | Apple Newsroom, 2024-10-30 |
| Colors | Space Black; Silver | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Battery | 100Wh lithium-polymer (actual rating 99.6Wh) | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Battery, wireless web | Up to 14 hours | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specsApple's figure comes from a preproduction 14-core, 32-core M4 Max with 36GB and 2TB, tested between August and October 2024 on 25 websites at 8 clicks of brightness from the bottom. |
| Battery, video streaming | Up to 21 hours | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specsSame test unit as the web figure. |
| Charging | 140W USB-C adapter and 2 m USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable in the box; the included adapter fast-charges it | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Ports | Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports with charging, DisplayPort and USB4 up to 120Gb/s; HDMI; SDXC card slot; MagSafe 3; 3.5 mm headphone jack | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View; 1080p video | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Speakers | Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers; Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Microphones | Three-mic array with directional beamforming | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Keyboard | Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID; 78 keys (U.S.) or 79 (ISO), 12 of them full-height function keys | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Trackpad | Force Touch trackpad | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specsThe 16-inch M5 Max moves to Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7. |
| Operating system | macOS Sequoia at launch, with Apple Intelligence | Apple Newsroom, 2024-10-30 |
| External displays | Up to four: three 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt plus one 4K at 144Hz over HDMI, or two 6K over Thunderbolt plus one 8K or 4K at 240Hz over HDMI; the built-in display stays at full resolution | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Security | Touch ID | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
| Cooling | Active cooling with fans | Apple Newsroom, 2024-10-30 |
| US price | No separate M4 Max price; the 16-inch started at $2,499 ($2,299 education) with M4 Pro | Apple Newsroom, 2024-10-30 |
| Price band | $3,000–$5,000+, depending on configuration | Our estimate; Apple listed only the $2,499 starting price |
| Announced | 30 October 2024 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Pre-orders from 30 October 2024; in stores from Friday, 8 November 2024; now the previous generation | Apple Newsroom, 2024-10-30 |
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Max) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| M4 Pro version | MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro): 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB and 512GB, up to 24 hours video and 17 hours web, two external displays, $2,499 | Apple 16-inch M4 Pro tech specs |
| Current M5 Max model | MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Max): Apple's N1 wireless chip, up to 22 hours video and 16 hours web, from $3,899 | Apple Newsroom, March 2026 |
| In the box | 16-inch MacBook Pro; 140W USB-C adapter; USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable (2 m); polishing cloth only with nano-texture | Apple 16-inch M4 Max tech specs |
What the M5 Max changed
The 16-inch M5 Max replaced this model in March 2026. By Apple’s figures, this is what changed:
| Spec | 16-inch M4 Max | 16-inch M5 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 |
| Video streaming | Up to 21 hours | Up to 22 hours |
| Wireless web | Up to 14 hours | Up to 16 hours |
| US starting price | Not listed separately | $3,899 |
Apple’s March 2026 announcement also quotes a fast charge to 50% in 30 minutes with a 96W adapter for the new models. The M4 Max fast-charges with the 140W adapter that comes in its box.
For an M4 Max owner, that adds up to an hour more video, two more hours of web browsing and newer Wi-Fi: not reason enough on its own to replace a machine that still does the job. If you’re buying, a used or refurbished M4 Max makes sense only well below the M5 Max’s $3,899.
M4 Max or M4 Pro in the 16-inch
Both 2024 16-inch models use the same body and 100Wh battery. The Max costs more and Apple rates it for less time on a charge; it earns that with the bigger GPU, more memory and twice the external displays.
| Spec | 16-inch M4 Max | 16-inch M4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| CPU and GPU | 14-core and 32-core (16-core and 40-core option) | 14-core and 20-core |
| Memory and storage as standard | 36GB and 1TB | 24GB and 512GB |
| External displays | Up to four | Up to two |
| Battery | Up to 21 hours video, 14 hours web | Up to 24 hours video, 17 hours web |
| Weight | 4.7 lb (2.15 kg) | 4.7 lb (2.14 kg) |
| US launch price | Not listed separately | $2,499 ($2,299 education) |
If two displays and 24GB cover your work, the M4 Pro is the better buy: Apple rates it for longer, and it costs less.
Chip, memory and storage
The base M4 Max has a 14-core CPU (10 performance and 4 efficiency cores), a 32-core GPU with hardware ray tracing and a 16-core Neural Engine, with 410GB/s of memory bandwidth. The 16-core CPU version gets a 40-core GPU and 546GB/s. Memory starts at 36GB and can be configured to 48GB, 64GB or 128GB, and it’s soldered, so order what you’ll need. Storage starts at 1TB and goes to 2TB, 4TB or 8TB.
Screen, battery and charging
The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR runs at 3456 × 2234 (254 ppi). It holds 1,000 nits full-screen for HDR, peaks at 1,600 nits and reaches 1,000 nits outdoors in SDR, with ProMotion up to 120Hz and nano-texture glass as an option.
| Mode | 16-inch M4 Max |
|---|---|
| Video streaming | Up to 21 hours |
| Wireless web | Up to 14 hours |
| Battery | 100Wh (rated 99.6Wh) |
| Adapter in the box | 140W USB-C |
A 2 m USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable comes with the 140W adapter. For a smaller 2024 Pro, the MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) has a 72.4Wh battery.
Price
Apple announced the 2024 16-inch MacBook Pro on 30 October 2024, starting at $2,499 ($2,299 education) with M4 Pro; the M4 Max was a higher-priced configuration. Stores had it from 8 November 2024. We put it in a $3,000 to $5,000-plus band depending on memory and storage. Now that the M5 Max starts at $3,899 new, weigh any used or refurbished M4 Max against that price before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Newsroom — MacBook Pro with the M4 family of chips — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — Identify your MacBook Pro model — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
What does the 16-inch M5 Max add?
Apple's N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7, and longer battery ratings. The 16-inch M5 Max is rated for 22 hours of video and 16 of web browsing, against 21 and 14 here, and it starts at $3,899. Apple's March 2026 M5 Max announcement also quotes a charge to 50% in 30 minutes with a 96W adapter.
Should I upgrade from an M4 Max to the M5 Max?
Not for battery life or Wi-Fi alone: the M5 Max adds one more hour of video, two more of web browsing and Wi-Fi 7. Your M4 Max already has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, four-display support and the 16.2-inch XDR screen.
Is the 16-core M4 Max worth it over the 14-core?
Only if you need its 40-core GPU, 546GB/s of memory bandwidth or 128GB of memory. The 14-core, with a 32-core GPU and 410GB/s, is the standard configuration.
How many displays can it drive?
Four: three 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt plus a 4K at 144Hz over HDMI, or two 6K over Thunderbolt plus one 8K, or a 4K at 240Hz, over HDMI.
What did the M4 Max cost at launch?
Apple didn't list it separately. Its 30 October 2024 announcement priced the 16-inch from $2,499, or $2,299 for education, and that was the M4 Pro model, so an M4 Max configuration cost more.
Official product page: MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Max). Tech specs: MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Max) specs.